Perspective

Several years ago a friend of mine received an mp3 player for Christmas with a pair of headphones that have a noise cancellation feature. Here's how it works: A microphone in the headset picks up nearby noise (such as his wife asking him to take out the trash) and the built-in processor then sends a sound to the headset at an opposite frequency, thereby canceling out the original sound. When he wears those headphones, he hears nothing except the music from his mp3 player. I've tried them myself... They're amazing! You put them on, and the noise of the world seems to disappear!

The Bible also has a noise cancellation feature – whenever your life gets too loud with the criticism of others, or the temptations of the enemy, or the rumbling of your own doubts, going to the Word will negate the noise.

David said, I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. (Psalm 119:11)

Paul said, Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God. (Romans 10:17)

Peter said, Like newborn babes long for the pure milk of the word that by it you may grow in respect to your salvation. (2 Peter 2:2)

"The words of truth will grow in importance, and assume a breadth and fullness of meaning of which we have never dreamed. The beauty and riches of the word have a transforming influence on mind and character." (Christ Object Lessons, p. 132)

Have you discovered yet, that the more time you spend in the Word, the less distracted you are by the racket the world makes? Reading God's Word cancels out the sounds of temptation and doubt, and makes it possible to hear the music of spiritual growth. I humbly challenge you to focus on listening to God's Word, not the noise of this world.